| Even considered as living fossils, ginkgoes are old trees that inhabit in
Korea, Japan and China. It is said that those were brought into the country
together with Confucianism and Buddhism when they were introduced from China.
Their fall foliage is very beautiful and they are not damaged by blight
and harmful insects and provide wide and thick shade, they are often planted
to serve as arbors or roadside trees.
Ginkgo in Youngmunsa (Temple) is estimated to be about 1,100 years old and
67m in height and 15.2m in girth. It has the record as the oldest and
the highest among ginkgoes in Korea and a lump under a branch is a characteristic
of the tree.
There are two major legends regarding the tree. One is that the Crown
Prince Maui who was a son of King Gyeongsun (A.D 927~935) in the United Shilla
dynasty planted it on his way to Geumgangsan (Mt.) with sorrow of losing his
country. The other is that a Great Buddhist Priest Uisang put his stick
on the ground and it was changed into the tree. Besides, several stories
have been transmitted; just touching a saw to cut it made it bleed, or, when
Japanese troops set fire on Youngmunsa (Temple) during theresistance of Jeongmi
loyal army, only this tree was not burnt, or, whenever major events happened,
it let people know those producing sound.
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Item
:
Natural Monument No 30
